Chemistry project/amalgam fillings?

Question

I am doing a project on the pros and cons of amalgam fillings, plus some background information. So far I have covered: what an amalgam filling is, the history of it, the composition of it, facts about mercury, and the pros and cons of amalgam fillings. Can you think of anything else I should add to go more in depth on the topic?

Answer 1

Amalgam is a commonly used dental filling that has been used for over 150 years. It is a mixture of mercury with at least one other metal. Currently, dental amalgams are composed of 43% to 54% mercury; the remaining powder is made up of mainly silver (~20-35%)[1] and some tin, copper (~10%), and zinc (~2%). Amalgam has many advantages over other restorative material, such as low cost, ease of application, strength, durability, and bacteriostatic effects. Its main disadvantage is poor aesthetics, especially in the smile zone. The use of amalgam has declined in recent years due to a lingering but controversial concern about the detrimental health effects from the low levels of mercury released from amalgam. There is also environmental concerns about mercury emissions from waste amalgam and cremation of deceased individuals.